Whether you are responsible for managing an L&D consultant or you are the person on assignment, the surest path to success is to understand what to expect before, during, and after a consulting engagement. Using the framework within this guide will help you to foster deeper relationships and achieve the best project results. In this issue of TD at Work, Amanda Van Der Heiden provides:

• The Global Talent Development Solutions (GTDS) Consulting Life Cycle model

• Components of pre-project, project, and postproject phases

• Manager and consultant perspectives for each element of the L&D project vendor relationship

• Questions and considerations for each project phase

• Advice based on previous experience

The Tools & Resources in this issue are an L&D Contractor-Client Template and an Onboarding an L&D Consultant To-Do List.